Match
by PhoebeSnow
Summary: Wanda and Bucky bond over a late night bowl of cereal.
1. Not The Best Start

Wanda sighed, staring up at the ceiling in her room. It had been two hours and she still couldn't sleep. The brunette finally sat up, her face stricken with pain, but no one was there to see it. She was alone, as always.

_No. You're not alone anymore, remember? You have have Steve, Natasha, Clint and Sam. You have a family now._

Except for Pietro.

An entire year had passed, down to the very day, since his death and it was still a struggle for Wanda to move on fully. Yes, she had interests. Playing the guitar, knitting, even watching those silly little American soap operas, but it all seemed somewhat hollow without Pietro.

How did people do it? How did they keep moving on with their lives after losing someone so close to them, that it was like losing a part of themselves? How did they hide the pain when they were around people and how did they keep the tears at bay when everything seems to remind them of who they lost?

Too many thoughts. She couldn't stay in bed. There'd be no comfort for her on this night.

Silently, Wanda slid on a pair of track shorts underneath her oversized sleep shirt before shuffling out of her room and walking down the hallway. It may be late, but she needed something to distract her.

Cereal was on her mind at the moment. Some of that really bad, sugary stuff she knew Natasha kept a healthy stock of for anyone who needed a hit in their sweet tooth. The spy could actually be very thoughtful when it came to buying everyone's favorite junk food. Coming nearer to the kitchen, Wanda halted her steps when she realised that the light was on and someone else sat at the island, bent over their own food.

She didn't have to get closer to recognize that form. James Barnes sat a few feet away from her, munching away in whatever he was eating. Wanda paused and pursed her lips. She had really wanted to be alone, but her private refuge was now semi private.

Of course, she could turn back and head to her room. She did have a few snacks left in the backpack she always brought on missions. If memory served correctly, there were a couple of Slim Jims, a half-eaten bag of chocolate covered donuts and kettle chips in the front zippered pocket.

As she took a step to turn around, James suddenly swiveled in his stool to cast a probing expression her way.

"How long are you gonna stand there?"

_Shit._

Wanda bit her lip and crossed her arms. Not a defensive posture, but a protective one. Sometimes she glanced at James' muscles on his human arm and felt herself swallowing hard. He could probably crush her body with that arm. The thought was mildly curious as well as frightening.

"I can leave if you don't want to be disturbed..."

"It's not my kitchen."

Hm. A noncommittal answer. He wasn't telling her that he welcomed her presence, but he wasn't being antisocial either. Wanda mused on this before she continued walking to the kitchen and immediately started looking through the cupboard. She could feel James' eyes on her back and fought the urge to turn and face him.

In moments, she found the box of cereal she'd been looking for. Lucky Charms. A garbage cereal, Steve liked to say. Full of nothing but sugar, artificial food coloring and a million other things that would probably kill you before you reached thirty. Well, that was fine. Getting older wasn't such a big deal and Wanda didn't put gratuitous stock in growing up. She'd lost too much in life to care, really.

Once she retrieved her bowl, she poured a substantial amount of cereal into it and sat on the opposite end of the island. Not exactly closing herself off, but not being presumptuously friendly. She had come here to put something in her belly, not to initiate a kaffeeklatsch.

"You're not gonna put any milk in it?"

"Milk in cereal is overrated," she retorted before taking a handful from the bowl and shoving it in her mouth. Unladylike, but Wanda couldn't care less about such things.

"And why is that?"

Once she finished chewing, she looked at him again. "Milk mutes the flavor of the cereal so you have to drink it to get the taste, but it's not as good when you eat cereal by itself." Wanda ate another mouthful of cereal, groaning inwardly. Like he cared about her studio ideas on breakfast food. This is exactly why she wanted to be alone in the kitchen. Socializing was not one of her strong points.

"That's a curious philosophy, but it makes sense. I actually like eating dry cereal, too. Just not the sugary stuff. It makes me feel sick."

"Before she could stop herself from replying, Wanda blurted out, "Wait, you don't like any sweet cereal? Not even muesli?"

"Nope, fruit and nuts is not a combination I like."

"What the hell do you eat for breakfast, then?"

He blinked. "I don't eat breakfast."

"Oh."

"You never noticed how I only drink coffee in the morning?"

A sudden memory of early mornings in the kitchen popped into Wanda's brain. She could see James in the corner of her eyes, drinking a mug of hot coffee with no sugar or cream - ick - while everyone else ate varying types of breakfast food.

"I have. I just...stay in my own world for the most part." She knew her cheeks were heating up and elected to ignore it.

"So do I. Guess we're alike in that respect. The two loneliest Avengers." His voice had a sarcastic tone and Wanda frowned.

"I'm not lonely," she lied, words coming out harshly. "In case you've forgotten, I live in a building with several other people and have hardly a moment to myself."

James stared at her, reading her facial expression carefully before speaking. "But it's not the same without your brother, is it?"

Wanda's lips parted, but she said nothing. How could she? He'd hit her right in the most vulnerable spot anyone could touch. It was bad enough that today was the anniversary of Pietro's death, but Bucky rubbed salt in the wound, intentional or not.

She stood up, pushing her bowl away. "I have to go to bed. Goodnight, James." Swiftly, she exited the kitchen, not caring to look at him as she left. He called after her, but she kept walking until she made her way back into her room and dug under the safety of her covers.

Tears rolled down her cheeks and she cried until her energy was sapped. Sleep beckoned her and she gave in to it, but before she was completely under its lull, she saw the brief look of regret on James' face when he mentioned her brother.

Maybe he was sorry for what he'd said, but she was too busy hurting to care.


	2. Redrawing Lines

Bucky slammed his fist into the punching bag in front of him, hoping that he could distract himself long enough to erase the hurt expression on Wanda's face out of his mind. He hadn't intended to cause her pain by mentioning her brother and if he'd known she would react that way, he wouldn't have said anything at all.

_You really are an idiot, Bucky._

Making that poor girl cry filled him with a sense of shame and he'd almost thrown his bowl at the wall in frustration. Bucky went back to his room and stayed there until nine o'clock in the morning. He didn't get sleep after upsetting Wanda, which wasn't a problem since his body didn't require much sleep to function. The four hours he'd gotten earlier would do him just fine for the rest of the day. No one noticed him stealthily make his way to Wanda's room. He'd intended to apologize for the words he said the night before, but she wasn't there.

So he made a casual inquiry to Sam, learning that Wanda decided to join Steve for a walk. That filled him with a twinge of trepidation. Steve always went for runs; he wasn't the walking type, even when he was joined by someone else. Wanda was no doubt filling him in on what happened between herself and Bucky.

If he knew Steve, his friend would be coming to talk to him after his walk with Wanda. Everyone on the Avengers team knew that Steve and Wanda were close, kind of like siblings, but Wanda also looked up to him as a mentor. Bucky couldn't blame her because he looked up to his best friend as well.

Steve was a great man who inspired people to be the best they could be and he was the main reason Bucky hadn't gone crazy yet. Sam and Natasha were a part of that too and Bucky appreciated how they sometimes went out of their comfort zone to make him feel welcome. The one person he'd yet to figure out was Wanda.

She was an enigma. For the most part, she kept to herself and didn't talk a lot. She was better at making her feelings known through her facial expressions rather than verbalizing them. In a way, they were alike. He wasn't a fan of talking, at least, not like he was in the past. That was a different Bucky. The Bucky he'd become now was more quiet and unsure of himself.

To be honest, he suspected that was the reason he was drawn to the Maximoff girl. She was a quiet person and preferred spending time with a few people she was close to and shirked away from large gatherings and parties.

Bucky couldn't blame her for feeling like that. He hated big parties too, now. And he found it hard to trust people, although something told him that he'd have no trouble trusting Wanda. He could only hope she wouldn't still be mad at him for mentioning her brother last night.

"I'm not."

The accented feminine voice nearly escaped his notice, but it belonged to the woman he'd been thinking about for several hours so he knew who it was in a split second. He turned to face the brunette and relaxed his fists, letting them uncurl and hang by his sides.

He took in the light blush on Wanda's cheeks, suspecting that she felt embarrassed or ashamed for peeking into his thoughts. But he wasn't angry with her for that. If she hadn't scanned the surface of his mind, she would've read the emotion on his face and still known regardless. She was just that good.

"You're not just saying that to make me feel better, are you, doll?"

Wanda stepped closer. "You already know the answer to that."

True. She wasn't the kind of girl who lied to spare someone's feelings, but she didn't come out ready to attack either.

"Still. I shouldn't have said that about your brother, Wanda. I'm sorry. It was thoughtless and stupid and-"

"How long are you going to beat yourself up about that?" She tsked and put her hands on her hips, looking at the ground before meeting his eyes with her own. "Today is the anniversary of Pietro's death and I was feeling pretty vulnerable when you mentioned him. But...you were right. It's not the same without my brother here."

Bucky placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and let out a breath of relief when she reached up to cover his hand. There was a brilliant sparkle in her green orbs and he brushed a stray lock of hair from her forehead. "You want to talk about it?"

Her brown orbs brightened some. "Over a bowl of cereal?"

"I'd like that."


	3. Wanting More

Wanda hummed to herself as she put on her sleep clothes. There was a liveliness in her being for the first time in a long time and she owed it all to James. They'd started spending time together. She told him about Pietro and their life as orphans in Sokovia. It was a gritty recollection and during particular points in her story, her voice cracked and she trailed off, overcome by emotion.

But every time she thought she couldn't continue, James took her hand and squeezed it gently, encouraging her. His presence became a source of strength that she'd chosen to rely on. It was nice, having a man she could confide in.

Yes, she had Steve and Sam, but they were like older brothers to her and that made her cautious about what she revealed to them.

Clint was in the same category. He was like a father to her and she loved him dearly, but she knew they were some things he didn't need to know about her. All of the Avengers had been through some kind of personal hell, but for Wanda, James was the one person she knew would understand her past and relate to it the most. Hence, why she'd been drawn to him from the very beginning.

Opening up to James and allowing herself to be vulnerable was easier each time they were together. Whenever they were around their fellow Avengers, Wanda and James still ended up being in the other's orbit.

Natasha and Steve were the first ones to notice how attached their friends had become. Steve wanted to talk to James about, but Natasha lovingly reminded him that this was one situation he didn't need to concern himself with.

"I know you like looking out for everybody, but please let Barnes and Wanda figure this out on their own. I think they're good for each other and if you start asking questions, you could cause them to separate. They're not teenagers; they're both of age and know what they're getting themselves into. Just leave it be and see where it goes. Trust me on this, okay?"

Steve did trust Natasha and her judgment, explicitly. It was one of the reasons they worked so well as partners for SHIELD in the past and why their marriage was so wonderful. So he conceded, heeding his wife's wisdom and stepped back, in the hopes that his best friend and the young woman he loved as a sister would be happy as their relationship developed.

In Wanda's eyes, their relationship was going quite well. She and James chose to take things slow given their past history and the baggage they carried. Two months had passed since that night in the kitchen and life was much brighter. Late night talks over a cold bowl of cereal and walks in the park became a regular occurrence. She'd even impulsively grabbed his hand several times and was pleased to feel his warmth as he smiled down at her and accepted it.

There was something thrilling in the knowledge that the person you cared for was gradually letting you into their heart and Wanda was no exception. She felt like dancing on air - and because of her powers, she could do it.

Nobody knew this, but they'd also shared a kiss or two.

Not on the lips, to her dismay. She knew about James' history with women and how he had a new girl every week. He'd been a ladies' man in his day, pure and simple, therefor, it was for his sake that they didn't rush things. Wanda understood and shared his view on the matter, but lately, she'd been feeling a strong desire to kiss him on the lips.

She wasn't a wanton and she had no shame for these feelings, but she was a woman. And James, goodness, was he a man. During their intimate talks, Wanda caught him looking at her mouth and through her powers, she sensed a tension in his body if she got close to him. He'd lick his lips and dart his eyes away, bringing up some silly subject to change the atmosphere, yet there could be no denying what was evident in those green eyes of his.

He wanted her, too.

This fact caused her to rejoice, albeit with some reservation.

_How do I tell him how I feel without looking like a fool?_

A knock on Wanda's bedroom door interrupted her thoughts and she ran to it before self-consciously running a hand through her brown hair. Steeling herself, she opened the door and smiled brightly at the man on the other side as he said hello. He held a brown paper bag in his arms that made her quirk her brow in curiosity.

"Hey. What's this?"

James returned her smile and walked inside, closing the door behind him. "Snacks and a movie. Steve and Natasha are in the kitchen making omelettes and I didn't want to disturb them."

"They were being excessively mushy, weren't they?"

"Oh, yeah. Giggling and bumping noses like they were starring in a cheesy Hallmark film."

"Hey!" Wanda swatted his arm. "I love Hallmark movies."

"I know, I know. What do you think I brought?" He held out a DVD case and Wanda accepted it. When she saw the title, she squealed. "You bought the new Lacey Chabert movie?!"

James nodded as he pulled out the items he bought. "I found it at the convenience store for five bucks and I figured I'd get it for you. It's cheaper than the online price."

"You are the best! Thank you so much!" She threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"You're welcome." He raised his hands to hold her back, caressing her with care. In a few moments, it registered that she wasn't wearing her sleep sweater and her breasts felt so soft against his chest. What's worse, the smell of her coconut lime body wash intoxicated his senses and made him a bit too alert to her sex appeal.

_Damn._

James pulled away as nonchalantly as he could so Wanda wouldn't notice his sudden arousal. "I'll turn the DVD player on."

"Alright," she replied. If he hadn't walked past her then, he would have seen the knowing smirk on her face.

He **definitely** wanted her.


	4. Lick of Flame

"James, the movie is over. James?" Wanda yawned as she moved out of the comfortable cocoon of his arm and peered at the super soldier. The sound of light snores left his mouth and he didn't move a muscle when she called his name again. She chuckled as she got out of bed, turning off the tv and the DVD player and dumped the empty containers of snacks in the trash.

She went back to James' side, getting in her bed to look at him. Light from the moon shone on his face and she smiled softly, watching him sleep. He was handsome while he slept - well, he was handsome _all_ the time, but sleep enhanced his attractiveness.

Often, she'd wondered if they would work as a couple. They'd both been used as tools for evil. The only difference was she chose to volunteer as a human trial for HYDRA experiments and James was taken against his will.

She allowed her hatred for Stark and her bitterness from losing her parents blind her to the dangers of the people she surround herself with. She did what they wanted as a means to someday get revenge, she toyed with her teammates' minds - they all forgave her long ago. Yet, she still felt guilt at times.

It was normal. No one could go through the things she did and **not** experience shame or regret. James had told her that during the many talks they shared. He was the one person in the Avengers besides Steve, Sam and Natasha who assured her that she wasn't a monster for the choices she made in the past.

And he would know. When she helped remove the HYDRA programming from his mind, she'd seen a lot of gritty images, horrible scenes of torture done to himself and the actions he committed as the Winter Soldier. He managed to keep a good number of them from her sight, but she knew better than anyone how dark the nightmares could get.

Each of the Avengers had endured some kind of personal trauma or hardship in their lives, but Wanda and James were two who connected the most, maintaining a steady orbit around each other. Their mutual attraction was obvious to everyone else, but neither made a move.

On Wanda's part, she'd been apprehensive because of the possibility of rejection, even though she was fully aware of James' interest. Another problem was that they never talked about their romantic inclinations, which stifled any further development in their relationship.

They both wanted it. Of that, she was sure. There were enough looks between them that could heat up a room and turn it into a sauna.

Before she could stop herself, Wanda bent down to brush her lips against James'. It was a gentle kiss and she made sure she counted to five, then pulled back. Her eyes widened when she saw his green eyes staring into her own.

_How did I not sense him wake up?_

"James, I..." Plenty of explanations could have been given for the kiss, but zero came to mind and Wanda just stammered and blushed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, but you looked so serene and I didn't want to let this chance pass without-"

He cut her off by taking hold of her arm, tugging her back down to his level and slanting his mouth over hers. A contented sigh escaped her lips and her hands splayed across his back. She kissed him as hard as she could, uncaring that their noses smushed against each other and that her head was growing dizzy from the loss of oxygen.

Wanda felt him pull back first, moaning in disappointment that their lips weren't connected, but she kept her finger twisted into the fabric of his shirt so he didn't move too far away.

"That was, um...nice."

"Thanks, doll. You're not such a bad kisser, yourself." His voice came out a little husky, the old Brooklyn accent slipping out and the sound made Wanda's toes curl. He smiled for a moment, but the corners of his lips dropped and he sighed, shaking his head. "You shouldn't waste your time on an old man like me, Wanda."

"Really?" She reached down to grip his backside with both hands and squeezed him playfully. "For an old man, you have a tight ass."

His eyes darkened with lust, but he sighed and shook his head. "Wanda, you could do better."

"Maybe. But I don't want anyone else. I want you, James, and I have wanted you from the first moment I saw you." She straddled him and swiveled her body, pressing into his pelvis.

_"Damn, Wanda..." _He groaned and took hold of her hips, locking her in place.

"I'm tired of letting fear stop me from pursuing my desires. It's time we both gave in, don't you?"

James said nothing at first, opting to smooth his finger along the slope of her neck. When he reached the curve of her breast, he paused, eyes were full of heat. "There's no turning back after this."

"That's exactly what I want. I'm looking toward the future." She peppered his jaw with tiny kisses before covering his mouth with hers.

He continued to explore her skin with his fingers, sneaking them into the scooped opening of her sleep shirt and his thumb massaged the hardened peak in the center of her breast. She let out a low moan and arched her back while he fondled her bosom. When her cries began to increase in volume, he stopped.

"If you're going to make that much noise, you might wanna lock the door."

"Good point." Wanda rolled off the bed and strode to the bedroom door, locking it. As she came to the bed again, she unbuttoned her sleep shirt, shimmied out of her panties and let both drop to the floor. "I don't want any interruptions for what I'm going to do to you."

James couldn't wait to see that promise become fulfilled.


End file.
